Playoff Bound

July 8, 2012

Site for conference championship is still TBD.

Tucson, AZ (Sunday, July 8, 2012) — FC Tucson only needed one point to guarantee a spot in the playoffs in its first season in the PDL and that’s what the team got in a 0-0 draw with the Ogden Outlaws.

“We’re all just ecstatic that we put ourselves in this position where even if we just had a tie tonight we’re through (to the playoffs) and that’s what matters,” said FC Tucson goalkeeper Brendan Roslund.

FC Tucson still has two games remaining on the schedule before the start of the playoffs, which begin the weekend of July 20. But FC Tucson Head Coach Rick Schantz told reporters following the game that he plans to use this week to rest some of the team’s key players and get them healthy now that the team has already clinched a postseason spot. He didn’t specify which players.

The site of the conference championship has not yet been determined. But the particulars of the postseason aren’t the biggest concern for the players or coaches. Just getting ready for a playoff run is the chief concern.

“When we sat down as an ownership group all the way back in January, we said that we wanted to win a national championship,” Schantz said. “But it starts with the first game of the playoffs and we’ll be prepared for that.”

Schantz won’t take time to revel in his team’s success. He’s already planning on waking up on Monday morning and watching game film of potential opponents from the Northwest Division.

FC Tucson began the game strong and showed it was eager to come away with three points instead of just the one needed to clinch. In the 15th minute the team had it’s first real scoring chance. After the ball had been crossed into the box, it was headed into the air two different times before Max Alvarez finally had an opportunity to take a shot. He sailed it well over the crossbar.

Then the next 15 minutes was a flurry of FC Tucson missed opportunities.

In the 23rd minute, Reid Schmitt had space outside the right corner of the box and fired a shot that was destined for the back of the net. But Ogden goalkeeper Devin Zimmerman made a diving save to keep the game tied at zero. In the 25th minute, Alvarez broke free from the Outlaw defense but a diving Zimmerman thwarted his chance. Three minutes after that, James Cohn sent a nifty through ball into the right side of the box for Carlos Montes, but Montes sent his shot over the bar.

The second half belonged to the Ogden Outlaws, who dominated possession and outshot FC Tucson 5-2. But FC Tucson held on the rest of the match, and the ball in some instances, to earn the draw.

“This is a big moment for me,” Roslund said “I’m thrilled to be in the playoffs. I can’t wait for the opportunity to play there.”